JP2001104902A - Drink supply passage cleaning apparatus and cleaning tank therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drink supply passage cleaning apparatus capable of cleaning a cleaning tank to a sanitarily allowable level in a short time, and the cleaning tank therefor. SOLUTION: A cleaning tank 1 consists of at least two separated components 10 and 11 having openings 13a and 13b of >=70 mm equivalent diameter so that mutual openings are freely detachably attached to each other. A drink supply passage cleaning apparatus is constituted wherein a dispense head 4 is attached to the cleaning tank 1, the cleaning apparatus is connected to a high pressure gas supply source 2 and drink supply passages 8 and 9 via the dispense head 4, a high pressure gas is supplied to the cleaning tank 1 from the high pressure gas supply source 2, and cleaning is carried out by feeding a cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 1 to the drink supply passages 8 and 9 under pressure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for a beverage supply path in a beverage supply apparatus and a cleaning tank for the apparatus, and more particularly, to a cleaning operation of a beverage supply path by easily cleaning the cleaning tank. The present invention relates to a beverage supply path cleaning device and a cleaning tank for the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, beverages such as beer and juices provided in restaurants and the like are supplied to a jug or cup from a beverage supply device connected to a beverage barrel filled with a large amount of beverage, and are supplied. It has become so. The beverage supply path of this beverage supply device is constituted by a pipe, and since the beverage passes through the pipe, it is required to keep the inner wall of the pipe clean.

For this reason, it is recommended that the beverage supply path (pipe) in the beverage supply apparatus be cleaned every day after the business is closed. Further, as a device for cleaning a beverage supply path, a dispense head is attached to a cleaning tank containing a cleaning liquid, and connected to a high-pressure gas supply source and a beverage supply path to be cleaned through the dispense head, and the high pressure is supplied. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an apparatus in which a high-pressure gas is supplied from a gas supply source to a cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank is pressure-fed to a beverage supply path using the pressure of the high-pressure gas for cleaning.

However, since the high-pressure gas is supplied to the cleaning tank used in the beverage supply path cleaning apparatus as described above, the cleaning tank has a small opening for mounting a dispense head so as to withstand the high pressure. It is common to have a structure. Therefore, when cleaning the cleaning tank, it is necessary to insert a cleaning tool through a small aperture to clean the same as when cleaning a beer bottle, for example. For this purpose, it is necessary to spend a considerable amount of time, and there has been a problem that improvement in cleaning workability cannot be expected.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage supply path cleaning apparatus and a cleaning tank for the apparatus, in which the cleaning of the cleaning tank can be easily performed in a short time without causing any hygiene problems. It is in.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a beverage supply path cleaning apparatus according to the present invention has a dispense head mounted on a cleaning tank filled with a cleaning liquid, and a high-pressure gas supply source and a beverage are supplied via the dispense head. Connected to the supply channel,
A high-pressure gas is supplied from the high-pressure gas supply source to the cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank is pressure-fed to the beverage supply path for cleaning. In the beverage supply path cleaning apparatus, the cleaning tank has an opening having an equivalent diameter of 70 mm or more. The openings are detachably connected to each other from at least two divided members having the above structure to form a single tank.

Further, the washing tank for a beverage supply path washing apparatus of the present invention is configured such that mutual openings are detachably connected to each other from at least two divided members having an opening having an equivalent diameter of 70 mm or more to form a single tank. It is characterized by having comprised in.

As described above, the cleaning tank is constructed so that the openings are detachably connected to each other from at least two divided members, and the equivalent diameter of the openings is set to 70 mm or more. Since tools and hands can be easily inserted from the opening, cleaning can be easily performed in a short time to the extent that there is no problem in hygiene, thereby significantly improving the cleaning workability of the cleaning tank.

In the present invention, the "equivalent diameter" of the opening of the dividing member refers to the diameter of the circle when the opening is circular, and the non-circular shape when the opening is non-circular. It means the diameter of a circle when converted to a circle having an area equal to the area.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows a beverage supply path cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a cleaning tank filled with a cleaning liquid, and 2 is a gas cylinder (high-pressure gas supply source) filled with high-pressure carbon dioxide gas. Further, reference numeral 3 denotes a beverage supply device, and a coil 8 (beverage supply channel) and a tapping pipe 9 piped in the beverage supply device 3 are to be cleaned by the beverage supply channel cleaning device of the present invention. It is.

A dispense head 4 having three branch pipes 4a, 4b, 4c is mounted on an upper mounting port of the washing tank 1. Of the three branch pipes 4a, 4b and 4c, the branch pipe 4a is connected to the gas cylinder 2 via the hose 5.
The branch pipes 4b are connected to the pipe coils 8 of the beverage supply device 3 via hoses 6, respectively. Further, the branch pipe 4c is inserted into a mounting port on the upper part of the cleaning tank 1.

The branch pipe 4c is provided with two passages. As shown in FIG. 2 (A), one of the passages extends from the branch pipe 4a to above the cleaning liquid W in the cleaning tank 1 as shown by an arrow a. A tube 20 communicating with the space and having the other passage extending to the vicinity of the bottom surface in the cleaning solution W as shown by an arrow b.
Are connected, and the upper part communicates with the branch pipe 4b.

When the pipe coil 8 and the tapping tap 9 of the beverage supply device 3 are cleaned with the respective components of the beverage supply path cleaning device in the above-described connected state, the following is performed.

First, the pressure reducing valve 2 a of the gas cylinder 2 is opened, and high-pressure carbon dioxide gas is supplied from the hose 5 to the dispense head 4.
Is supplied to the space above the cleaning liquid W in the cleaning tank 1 through the branch pipe 4a. The internal pressure of the upper space is equal to a predetermined pressure (98
When the cock 7 is opened when the pressure reaches 392 kPa), the cleaning liquid W pressed by the high-pressure gas is supplied to the branch pipe 4b.
The pipe coil 8 and the tapping tap 9 flow through the hose 6 to wash the pipe coil 8 and the tapping tap 9.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a washing tank used in the above-described beverage supply path washing apparatus.

The washing tank 1 has a cylindrical shape having upper and lower ends in a dome shape, and has a structure in which divided members 10 and 11 which are separated into upper and lower parts at an intermediate position are connected. The divided members 10 and 11 are formed of a thermoplastic resin so as to have openings 13a and 13b each having a diameter (inner diameter) of 70 mm or more. The upper divided member 10 includes:
At the top, as a mounting part 15 of the dispense head 4,
It has an opening having a smaller diameter than the opening 13a. One of the two divided members 10 and 11 has a female screw 12a in an opening 13a and the other has a male screw 12b in an opening 13b, so that these openings 13a and 13b are screwed together with an O-ring 14 interposed therebetween. It is removable.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show another example of the washing tank used in the beverage supply path washing apparatus of the present invention.

This cleaning tank 1 is characterized in that two divided members 10 and 11 made of a thermoplastic resin are detachably screwed together with openings 13a and 13b with an O-ring 14 interposed therebetween. In the point that the diameter (inner diameter) is 70 mm or more, it is the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B, but the upper and lower ends are not conical, and the upper divided member 10 is conical, And two divided members 10, 1
The difference is that the division position of 1 is shifted upward.

Further, a safety valve 16 is attached to the dividing member 10, and when the pressure in the washing tank 1 exceeds a predetermined pressure, the safety valve 16 automatically releases the pressure. A receiving member 17 is attached to the mounting portion 15 of the dispense head 4, and the dispense head 4 is mounted via the receiving member 17. 18
Is a cap for closing the upper part of the receiver 17, and is used to prevent dust and the like from being mixed when the cleaning tank 1 is removed and stored after the cleaning process.

As exemplified in the above-described embodiments, the cleaning tank 1 of the present invention is configured so that the divided members 10 and 11 are removably connected.
Since the diameter (inner diameter) of each of the openings 13a and 13b is 70 mm or more, when cleaning the cleaning tank,
It can be performed by dividing into each divided member. Since the divided members 10 and 11 after the division can easily be put into the openings 13a and 13b by hand or a cleaning tool, the cleaning can be easily performed in a short time to the extent that there is no problem in hygiene. The cleaning workability of the tank can be improved.
In order to further improve such an effect, the equivalent diameter of the opening may be set to 80 mm or more, more preferably 100 mm or more.

The connecting method of the two or more divided members is not necessarily limited to the screwing described in the embodiment as long as it is detachable, withstands internal pressure, and can reliably perform sealing. Instead, lock pins and lock hooks can be used. In particular, when the washing tank is non-cylindrical other than cylindrical, it is preferable to use means other than screwing.

Since the internal pressure of the high-pressure gas is applied to the cleaning tank, its pressure resistance is 98 kPa or more, preferably 1 kPa.
It is desirable that the pressure be 47 kPa or more, more preferably 392 kPa or more. The constituent material of the washing tank for that purpose may be metal, but it is preferable to use a thermoplastic resin from the viewpoint of hygiene due to rust and weight reduction during use.

The thermoplastic resin used for forming the cleaning tank is not particularly limited as long as it has strength capable of withstanding the internal pressure of the high-pressure gas as described above. For example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile / styrene / butadiene copolymer (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide, polyacetal, polycarbonate, modified polyphenylene ether,
Examples thereof include polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyphenylene sulfide. These resins are not necessarily formed from only the same type of resin, and two or more types may be used in combination.

Among these thermoplastic resins, the tensile strength specified by ASTM D638 is particularly 45 MPa or more, preferably 50 MPa or more, and more preferably 60 MPa or more.
In consideration of the operating environment, transport environment, and storage environment of the washing tank, the ASTM D648
Heat deformation temperature of specified load 0.45MPa is 90 ° C or more,
Preferably 105 ° C. or higher, more preferably 130 ° C. or higher, as such a thermoplastic resin,
For example, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyacetal, modified polyphenylene ether and the like can be mentioned.

In addition, the following fillers may be mixed with the resin used for molding the washing tank as a reinforcing material as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

For example, fibrous filling of glass fiber, carbon fiber, potassium whisker, zinc oxide whisker, aluminum borate whisker, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, silicon carbide fiber, ceramic fiber, asbestos fiber, stone fiber, metal fiber, etc. Agents, walasteinite, zeolite, sericite, kaolin, mica, clay, pyrophyllite, bentonite, asbestos, silicates such as talc, alumina silicate, alumina, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, iron oxide, etc. Metal compounds, carbonates such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, dolomite, sulfates such as calcium sulfate and barium sulfate, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide,
Hydroxides such as aluminum hydroxide, glass beads, ceramic beads, non-fibrous fillers such as boron nitride, silicon carbide and silica.

These fillers may be hollow, or two or more of them may be used in combination. Also,
When the filler as described above is pre-treated with a coupling agent such as an isocyanate compound, an organic silane compound, an organic titanate compound, an organic borane compound, or an epoxy compound, a more excellent mechanical strength can be obtained. Can be.

Further, the thermoplastic resin used for molding the washing tank includes talc, kaolin, an organic phosphorus compound,
Crystal nucleating agents such as polyetheretherketone, anti-coloring agents such as hypophosphite, antioxidants such as hindered phenol and hindered amine, heat stabilizers, lubricants, UV inhibitors, coloring agents, antistatic agents, etc. An additive may be added.

[0030]

[Example] Polyamide resin [CM1007: Toray Industries, Inc.
2A and 2B by injection molding.
And has a thickness of 4 mm and an inner diameter of the opening of 1
A cleaning tank composed of two divided members having a length of 60 mm and a thread pitch of a connecting portion of 8 mm was manufactured.

The washing tank was filled with water and an internal pressure was applied while the washing tank was immersed in the water tank, and the pressure at the time of rupture was measured. As a result, the washing tank had a pressure resistance of 1274 kPa.

When the washing tank is divided into two parts and each part is washed, a sponge or a hand can be put into the inside through the opening, and the washing tank can be easily and cleanly cleaned to the extent that there is no problem in hygiene. Could work.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cleaning tank is constructed so that the openings are detachably connected to each other from at least two divided members, and the equivalent diameter of the openings is set to 70 mm or more. By dividing into individual parts, cleaning tools and hands can be easily inserted through the opening, so that cleaning can be easily performed in a short time to the extent that there is no problem with hygiene, thereby significantly improving the cleaning workability of the cleaning tank. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a beverage supply path cleaning device of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a washing tank used in the beverage supply path washing device of the present invention, wherein FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show another example of a washing tank used in the beverage supply path washing apparatus of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cleaning tank 2 Gas cylinder (high-pressure gas supply source) 2a Pressure reducing valve 3 Drink supply device 4 Dispense head 4a, 4b, 4c Branch pipe 5, 6 Hose 8 Piping coil (drink supply path) 9 Discharge tap (drink supply path) 10 , 11 Split member 12a Female screw 12b Male screw 13a, 13b Opening 14 O-ring 15 Mounting part 16 Safety valve 17 Receiver 18 Cap 20 Tube W Cleaning liquid

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Wakisaka 2-2-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Toray Industries, Inc. Tokyo Office (72) Inventor Shigeru Okita 2-2-2 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Toray Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office (72) Inventor Kimiaki Yamashita 1-23-1 Azumabashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Asahi Breweries Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuaki Kadokura 1-23-1 Azumabashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Asahi Breweries, Ltd. Purchasing Department (72) Inventor Toshiya Onosato 1-23-1, Azumabashi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Asahi Breweries, Ltd. Sales Department F-term (reference) 3B116 AA46 AB42 BB03 BB90 3E082 AA04 BB02 BB03 CC01 DD01 FF01

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A dispensing head is mounted on a washing tank filled with a washing liquid, and connected to a high-pressure gas supply source and a beverage supply path via the dispensing head, and the high-pressure gas is supplied from the high-pressure gas supply source to the washing tank. In the beverage supply path cleaning apparatus for supplying the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank to the beverage supply path under pressure and cleaning the cleaning tank, the cleaning tank is separated from at least two divided members having an opening having an equivalent diameter of 70 mm or more. Beverage supply path cleaning device configured to be detachably connected to form a single tank. 2. The gas pressure of the high pressure gas supply source is 98 kP.
The beverage supply path cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the number is equal to or larger than a. 3. The cleaning device for a beverage supply path according to claim 1, wherein the dividing member is formed of a molded body of a thermoplastic resin. 4. A washing tank for a beverage supply path washing device, wherein said at least two divided members having an opening having an equivalent diameter of 70 mm or more are detachably connected to each other to form a single tank. 5. The cleaning tank for a beverage supply path cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the dividing member is formed of a molded body of a thermoplastic resin. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is ASTM D63.
ASTM D6 with a specified tensile strength of 45 MPa or more
The heat distortion temperature at a specified load of 0.45 MPa is 9
The cleaning tank for a beverage supply path cleaning device according to claim 5, which is at least 0 ° C. 7. The cleaning tank for a beverage supply path cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the openings are detachably connected by screwing.